The 2023 Annual Conference of the Planning Institute of British Columbia (PIBC) will be held May 31st to June 2nd in the stunning mountain resort of Sun Peaks, B.C. To help us create an educational and memorable experience for all attendees, we are pleased to invite submissions of qualified proposals for inclusion in the conference program. 

Please take time to read the Call for Program Proposals package to gain a better understanding of  the conference, and what the PIBC Annual Conference Committee will be looking for while reviewing proposals. 

It Takes a Village

The theme for the PIBC 2023 Annual Conference is influenced by its location in Sun Peaks, a picturesque mountain village, and our profession’s commitment to embracing a collaborative “village” mentality. Our profession is rooted in a desire to improve the quality of life for all community members, respecting the diversity of needs, values, and aspirations. As planners, we are committed to advocating for the public good and continue to be propelled by the goal of strengthening our communities. 

The term “village” in the context of this conference theme is used to describe the wide range of communities that we belong to, live in, work for, advocate on behalf of, or visit. Villages can be tangible, physical spaces, or intangible, like the bonds that tie communities together or intrinsic value we place on space. As you will see through the five sub-themes, we want to hear about how villages are dealing with the many challenges and opportunities they encounter. 

To name a few, challenges may range from the intensifying housing crises, the impacts of climate change, social inequalities, urbanization pressures, impacts of the COVID pandemic, and calls for Truth and Reconciliation. As the planning profession collectively navigates these challenges, there are many stories and experiences we can share. 

We want to hear from new, soon-to-be, academic, and seasoned planners about how your work is embracing the village concept aspect of planning. Whether your expertise is concentrated within the largest metropolitan area, or extends into the most remote communities, we all move and navigate through the complex challenges facing communities, but we certainly don’t do it alone – it takes a village. 

Sub-Themes

Presenters are asked to submit proposals for presentations or workshops about planning topics related to the conference theme It Takes a Village. The following five sub-themes have been identified to help focus proposals and highlight challenges the Committee believes to be topical or specifically-relevant at this time. 

1. Housing Crisis, with Solutions 
2. Small Ideas, Big Impact 
3. Connecting to Our Roots 
4. Enhancing Resiliency 
5. Supporting Economic Development 

For a detailed description, please refer to the Call for Program Proposals package.

Types of Program Elements 

At this time, we are seeking diverse, original, practical, and insightful proposals to fulfill the following program elements, which collectively are intended to provide a range of learning opportunities for attendees.

Speed Sessions (10 minutes)

• To be combined with other speed-sessions, these short presentations are intended to provide a ‘fast, furious, and/ or fun’ overview of your topic.

Poster Session (1 hour)

• The poster session is intended to give students an opportunity to showcase their graduate research, capstone project, or other course work. Presenters will showcase their work in the form of a poster board and engage with attendees for one hour in a common space designated for poster boards.

Learning Sessions (75 minutes)

• Learning sessions are a more typical presentation taking the form of a talk with visual aids followed by a Q&A period. To increase interest and variability between learning sessions, presenters are encouraged to include innovative, interactive formats into their presentations.

Active Workshops (2.5 hours)

• Active workshops provide attendees with hands-on, interactive skill development through a training session or class. These workshops may take place at the conference location or include an outing to a nearby area.

Mobile Workshops (3-4 hours)

• Mobile workshops are bus, bike, or other tours that take attendees somewhere they can interact with unique planning projects in the Sun Peaks region. 
• These workshops are not intended to be solely social events, which will be organized outside of the formal proposal process.

Note: While we are hoping to host the entirety of this conference in-person in Sun Peaks next year, the PIBC 2023 Annual Conference may also include some program components that are streamed online for remote attendance, or have some components that are delivered either partly or wholly online. Information regarding anticipated online components will be provided early in the new year.

Key Submission Criteria

It is the PIBC Annual Conference Committee’s goal to design a conference that provides interest and value to all attendees. It should be recognized that attendees will range in experience and areas of expertise including professionals and students from BC, Yukon, and beyond. To reflect the diversity of attendees, we would like to have a diverse program that provides an interesting and relevant balance of topics. When reviewing the proposals, the PIBC Annual Conference Committee will be looking for the best content possible to deliver value for attendees, and advance the planning profession in British Columbia and Yukon.

Regardless of the sub-theme or type of program session selected, all presenters should consider the following key criteria:

• Be Bold… Emphasize how your program element will consider the complexities of planning realities or how it will tackle a familiar topic in a new way. Don’t be afraid to explore ideas and topics that might seem unorthodox at first glance.
• Be Engaging… Describe how your program element will give attendees an opportunity to contribute to the discussion. Demonstrate how the conversation will offer practical solutions to challenges facing planners today.
• Be Brief… Submit a clear and concise proposal that highlights top learning outcomes for participants. Be sure to adhere to the maximum word lengths outlined.
• Be Comprehensive… Provide a fully developed proposal for an entire program element. Connect with colleagues and others in related professions to put together a proposal for a complete and valuable conference session or element.

Ready to Submit?

Start by clicking the Submit Proposal button below, then click on Need to create an account? near the bottom of the pop-up window that appears. You will enter an email address and password to create an account, then you can proceed to submit your proposal. Please note that the account holder is considered the Primary Presenter.

If you have already created an account and made a submission, you can login use your existing email and password.